Sermon Central
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Blessings Series
Contributed by Kyle Sullivan on Jun 10, 2010 (message contributor)
Summary: The Spiritual Blessings
Ephesians 1:3 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ." (NKJV)
Paul opens Ephesians with the longest outburst of praises and blessings found in the Epistles in the typical style of an Old Testament eulogy or berakah. "Blessed be God". vs.3-14.
1. The Praise to the Father. (vs.3) "Blessed be the God and Father."
In one long sentence Paul describes the blessing of the Father and all he has done for us. We are to Praise Him!
-The blessing of election. Vs.4-6
-The blessing of adoption. Vs.5-8
-The future blessing of unification with Christ. Vs.9-10
-The blessing of the scope of God’s blessing. Vs.11-14
Paul is saying that the Blessings listed come from God the Father, become ours in Jesus Christ, and are applied by the Holy Spirit. The Trinity
2. A closer look at all of the Spiritual Blessings. (vs.3) "who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing."
The Seven Spiritual Blessing Paul list in vs.4-14.
--Election: vs. 4 "for he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight." (NIV)
Jonah 2:9 "salvation comes from the Lord." God Chose!
-Adoption: vs.5 "he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ," (NIV)
Adoption means becoming God’s sons and daughters with all the privileges implied. Romans 8:17
-Redemption: vs.7 "in him we have redemption through his blood," (NIV)
We are redeemed from our debts. Psalms 19:13/ Psalms 51:5/ Romans 6:23/ 1 Peter 1:18-19
-Forgiveness of sins: vs.7 "the forgiveness of sins," (NIV)
Forgiveness meaning God has wiped the slate clean.
Psalms 103:3/ Jeremiah 31:34/ 1 John 1:9
-Revelation of God’s purpose in History: vs.10 "to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ," (NIV)
The Question: Will this world last forever?
-Sealed by the Holy Spirit: vs. 13 "having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit," (NIV)
-Our Inheritance: vs.14 "who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession," (NIV)
3. In Jesus Only! Vs.3 "in Christ"
If you leave out the (in Christ), you will never have any blessings at all: Every blessing we enjoy as Christians comes to us through the Lord Jesus Christ.
